Retrofit drainage system

ABSTRACT

A retrofit drainage system for removing excess water from sites having no built-in drainage system. The retrofit drainage system minimizes the risk of pollution in general and specifically avoids environmental spills from disposal equipment, while affording inherent water testing capabilities. The present invention does not use electrical or mechanical engines, but rather utilizes conduits extending between an inlet disposed in a body of excess water and an even lower outlet, therebetween the present invention provides an elevated funnel and funnel valve and shutoff valve for selectively controlling the flow of water from inlet to outlet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/475,351, filed 23 Mar. 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to water disposal systems and, more particularly, a retrofit drainage system for syphoning standing water from a typically dry site, such as a construction site.

Construction sites flood from time to time, and since construction sites are temporary in nature they rarely have a built-in drainage site. Currently, the method of disposing of excess water from construction sites can be costly, typically utilizing vacuum trucks to haul the water away and find a disposal site. Such methods also run the risk of polluting the site while being utilized.

As can be seen, there is a need for a retrofit drainage system for removing excess water from land that does not have a built-in drainage system, which also minimizes the risk of pollution in general and specifically avoids environmental spills from disposal equipment, while affording inherent water testing capabilities. The present invention does not use electrical or mechanical engines, and for other advantageous reasons is a “green” solution that saves man-hours and thus money, and so the present invention uses one-tenth of the man hours compared to the current construction site water disposal systems, while arriving at the same outcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for retrofitting a drainage system to a site with no built-in drainage system includes a second portion providing a funnel fluidly connected to a funnel valve downward thereof; a first portion providing a first conduit fluidly coupling an inlet and the funnel valve; and a third portion providing a third conduit fluidly coupling an outlet and the funnel valve, the outlet providing a shutoff valve, wherein the funnel valve is disposed upwardly relative to the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the outlet is disposed downwardly relative to the inlet.

In another aspect of the present invention, the system for retrofitting a drainage system with no power source to a site with no built-in drainage system includes a second portion providing a funnel fluidly connected to a funnel valve downward thereof; a first portion providing a first conduit fluidly coupling an inlet and the funnel valve; a third portion providing a third conduit fluidly coupling an outlet and the funnel valve, the outlet providing a shutoff valve; a cap movable between an open condition and a closed condition closing off a funnel inlet of the funnel; and a filter operatively associated with the inlet, wherein the funnel valve is disposed upwardly relative to the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the outlet is disposed downwardly relative to the inlet.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of retrofitting a drainage system to a site having excess water but not having a pre-existing drainage system, includes providing the abovementioned retrofit drainage system of and placing the inlet in the excess water; closing the shutoff valve; opening the funnel valve; filling a funnel inlet of the funnel with water sufficient to prime the retrofit drainage system; closing the funnel valve; and opening the shutoff valve from siphoning a flow of the excess water from the inlet to the outlet.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the environment shown in cross-section; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a retrofit drainage system for removing excess water from sites having no built-in drainage system, which also minimizes the risk of pollution in general and specifically avoids environmental spills from disposal equipment, while affording inherent water testing capabilities. The present invention does not use electrical or mechanical engines, but rather utilizes a syphoning system have a fluid connection between a funnel, outlet and inlet interconnected by shutoff values.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention may include a retrofit drainage system 10 having at least one conduit 16 extending between an inlet 26 disposed in a body of water 14 and an even lower outlet 30, therebetween the present invention provides an elevated funnel 20 and funnel valve 24 for selectively controlling the flow 50 of the body of water from inlet 26 to outlet 30. The funnel valve 24 may be selectively moved between varying degrees of open positions (fluidly interconnecting) and a closed position.

The at least one conduit 16 may include piping of any suitable material, diameters, and lengths so long as the conduit(s) 16 function in accordance with the present invention as described herein. In certain embodiments, the conduits 16 may be provided through an assortment of different piping that may be handy at an instant dry site 12, such as at a construction site; for example, surplus PVC piping. Two conduits 16 may be fluidly connected by conduit connectors 18, such as elbows of the like. The conduits 16 may include the following: a first portion 52 fluidly coupling the inlet 26 and a funnel valve 24; a second portion 54 providing the funnel valve 24 and a fluidly connected funnel 20; and a third portion 56 fluidly coupling the funnel valve 24 and the outlet 30. The second portion 54 may be T-shaped with the leg portion 58 providing the funnel valve 24 fluidly disposed between the first and third portions 52 and 56, respectively, and the leg portion 58 providing the funnel 20 fluidly communicating to and upwardly disposed relative to the funnel valve 24. The funnel 20 may include a cap 22 movable between an open condition for loading the funnel 20 and a closed condition for sealing the loadable portion of the funnel 20. The funnel cap 22 may provide a lock mechanism to prevent tampering or removal in the closed condition.

The outlet 30 may also provide a shutoff valve 32. The shutoff valve 32 may be selectively moved between varying degrees of open positions (fluidly interconnecting) and a closed position. The inlet 26 may provide a filter 28 for screening out larger objects from being drawn into the conduit(s) 16 with the flow 50.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. The retrofit drainage system 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user may retrofit the present invention by placing the second portion 54 on higher ground so that the funnel 20 is generally centrally located above and between the inlet 26 and the outlet 30, where the inlet 26 of the first portion 52 is placed at or near the deepest spot within the body of water 14. Then the user may fluidly connect to the third portion 56 to the second portion 54, so that the outlet 30/shutoff valve 32 is downward of the inlet, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as upper, lower, upward, downwardly, and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the upward direction (or upper) being toward the top of the corresponding figures and a downward direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figure.

The user can then fluidly connect the first and second portions 52 and 54 via the funnel valve 24 for priming the retrofit drainage system 10. The user may then prime the retrofit drainage system 10 by first ensuring the shutoff valve 32 is in a closed position, and then supplying water via the funnel 20 as needed. When primed, the funnel cap 22 is moved to a closed condition, and the shutoff valve is moved to an open position to begin the syphoning process via the third portion 56 and through the outlet 30 until the body of water 14 is sufficiently emptied. The funnel valve 24 may be selectively engaged to control the siphoning process and maintain a prime state for later use. The priming of the retrofit drainage system 10 may take approximately 5 gallons of water for sufficient priming. As long as the retrofit drainage system 10 has shutoff valves 32 and 24 it can be primed wherein any combination will work.

The movable cap 22 enables inherent water testing capabilities of the flow 50, via the funnel 20, for determining contaminants, pollutants and the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for retrofitting a drainage system to a site with no built-in drainage system, comprising: a second portion providing a funnel fluidly connected to a funnel valve downward thereof; a first portion providing a first conduit fluidly coupling an inlet and the funnel valve; and a third portion providing a third conduit fluidly coupling an outlet and the funnel valve, the outlet providing a shutoff valve, wherein the funnel valve is disposed upwardly relative to the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the outlet is disposed downwardly relative to the inlet.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising the system not having a power source.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cap movable between an open condition and a closed condition closing off a funnel inlet of the funnel.
 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filter operatively associated with the inlet.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit is the third conduit.
 6. A system for retrofitting a drainage system with no power source to a site with no built-in drainage system, comprising: a second portion providing a funnel fluidly connected to a funnel valve downward thereof; a first portion providing a first conduit fluidly coupling an inlet and the funnel valve; a third portion providing a third conduit fluidly coupling an outlet and the funnel valve, the outlet providing a shutoff valve; a cap movable between an open condition and a closed condition closing off a funnel inlet of the funnel; and a filter operatively associated with the inlet, wherein the funnel valve is disposed upwardly relative to the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the outlet is disposed downwardly relative to the inlet.
 7. A method of retrofitting a drainage system to a site having excess water but not having a pre-existing drainage system, comprising: providing the retrofit drainage system of claim 2; placing the inlet in the excess water; closing the shutoff valve; opening the funnel valve; filling a funnel inlet of the funnel with water sufficient to prime the retrofit drainage system; closing the funnel valve; and opening the shutoff valve from siphoning a flow of the excess water from the inlet to the outlet.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of selectively engaging the funnel valve to control the flow. 